National Centre of Competence in Research PlanetS
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Planet Properties & System Architectures

Multi-faceted determination of planet properties and system architecture

Project Leader: S. Udry

Since the detection of the first planet orbiting another solar-type star than our Sun, our knowledge about exoplanets has dramatically increased thanks to the systematic monitoring of large star samples by various detection techniques (radial velocities, photometry, micro-lensing, and recently direct imaging). The results bring valuable constraints to planet formation theories, models of planet interior structure, and atmosphere physics. Basic planetary parameter measurements are the primary vehicles for the acquisition of the understanding of the interaction between the inner structure and the atmosphere of a planet, a key element for a complete picture of its ecological system.

The strongest constraints are achieved when different kinds of observations providing complementary information are combined together and confronted with theoretical predictions. In this project, we wish to set-up an ambitious long-term research plan based on comprehensive ground and space-based high- quality observations, including the development of (new) constraints from theoretical modelling of the systems, and developing high-level tools to optimally combine the variety of available information, of potentially different intrinsic nature (observational, theoretical, numerical), solving the challenges linked with the smaller amplitudes of the signals to detect as we go towards smaller-mass planets, in order to provide the optimal basic information to advance our understanding of the formation, structure, and eventually habitability of planetary systems.

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With this goal in mind, the project is organized along several main lines defining the four sub-projects described below:

Sub-Projects

Optimal determination of planetary physical and orbital parameters

Dr D. Ségransan

Optimally determine planetary physical and orbital parameters through robust statistical treatments of all available information, possibly of different natures (observation, theory, other), taking fully advantage of the  DACE platform.

Constraints from dynamical modelling of planetary systems

Prof S. Udry, Dr R. Mardling

Understand planetary system architecture (formation, evolution, stability) and possibly planet physical properties from the semi-analytical dynamical modelling of planetary systems, including systems with circum-binary planets.

Constraining the structure of small-mass planets

Prof. S. Udry, (+ Succesor of D. Queloz, TBD)

The goal is to constrain the internal structure of small-mass planets, down to super-Earths (and Earths), through the precise determination of the basic physical parameters (mass and radius) of planets transiting bright stars. Practically, it is our involvement in 3 important transit projects and the associated radial-velocity complementary observations: CHEOPS, NGTS and PLATO.

Probing the outer regions of planetary systems

Dr D. Ségransan

Probe the outer regions of planetary systems, fundamental for the system dynamical evolution, through astrometric and imaging observations.

 

Additional information

Organigramme and Team of the project
Presentation slideshow of the project

News

 

Team

Posts

Bringing the Digital Revolution to Direct Exoplanet Imaging with PLACID’s LCD Technology

Bringing the Digital Revolution to Direct Exoplanet Imaging with PLACID’s LCD Technology

A game-changing instrument is set to improve the detection and direct imaging of planets outside our Solar System by harnessing the power of liquid crystals. The Programmable Liquid-crystal Active Coronagraphic Imager for the DAG telescope (PLACID) was installed earlier this year at the 4m-diameter telescope of the newly-built Eastern Anatolian Observatory (DAG) observatory in Eastern […]

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Die Entstehung von Monden miterleben

Die Entstehung von Monden miterleben

Das James-Webb-Teleskop der NASA untersucht die Entstehung von Monden um einen massereichen Planeten. Ein UZH-Team nutzt die Daten, um die chemische Zusammensetzung einer Scheibe zu untersuchen, die den Planeten umgibt. Sie gilt als Grundlage für die Entstehung neuer Monde. Das James-Webb-Weltraumteleskop der NASA hat die ersten direkten Messungen der chemischen und physikalischen Eigenschaften einer möglicherweise […]

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Künstliche Intelligenz treibt die Entdeckung neuer Exoplaneten voran

Künstliche Intelligenz treibt die Entdeckung neuer Exoplaneten voran

Forschende der Universität Bern haben ein KI-Modell entwickelt, das in der Lage ist, die Architektur von Planetensystemen vorherzusagen und daraus auf das Vorhandensein von noch nicht entdeckten Planeten zu schliessen. Sie verwenden die sogenannte Transformer-Architektur, die die Grundlage der Large Language Models bildet, die Tools wie das kürzlich vorgestellte Schweizer Modell Apertus oder Chatbots wie […]

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